Knitting machine



April 11 1939. M, C. MILLERA 2,153,582

KNITTING MACHlNE I Filed Feb. l2, 1935 :A ToRNEYs Patented. Apr. 1'1,1939l UNITED YSTATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

' The present invention relates to improvements xed press edge todrawdown and press off the finished loops. Machines of this generaldescription are preferably provided with yarn measuring sinkers and withknockover elements against which the loops are drawn to'give them theirnal form. ',It is to be understood, however, that 'the several featuresof the presenty invention are not' limited in their. application totheparticular. l

type of machineldescribed, but maybe equally 'weil applied mother. typesof machines, in which the needlesare moved as adunit to, draw down and.knock over .thel newly formed loops against a knockover'surface' oredge.

' It is a principal object of the present invention to provide aknockoverv assembly of a novel and improved cunstructionfandmode ofoperation, in which thel knockov'er Asurfaces are arranged to movedownwardly against atensioning strain and toward the backs `oftheneedlesunder the pressure of the yarn 'kinkedthereon as. the needlesmove downwardly yto the knock'over position, so

" a novel and.impr-mired.v

that the loopsv are set againstfa .tension instead of Athe-usl'laliyred"stop,v and :are-'at thesame time lcarried-itc thefbacks Ofsthe needles4to insure the proper positioningfof these*leapsA during the subfsequent risingmovement'ofthe needles.

It'is another :object of theinvention to provide sion the yarnkinkedthereonand carry= the 'pren viously knitted course-of loopscertainly and ac'- curatelybeyondthe backsfntheneedle's.

With thesefanfdother-objectsin view,-'as may hereinafter appear, a`principal feature' of .'the`in- 45" V knockoverf elementsgmounted-onaypivoted sup-' vention consists in .the provision of a series ofport arranged topermit the movement'o'i the* knockover surfaces-from anormally. raised position closely, adjacent the, sink'er elements down-:wardlyand toward.fthe 'backs 'of the needles`- againstya tensioningstrain 'as the `needles appreach their eXtreme knockover positionjt'otension and vcarry the loops-tol' the backs; .of the voclgoverjbit'assembly in' which the .knockoverisurface-sf are. arrangedas the needles reach their.,.io,w knokover. position,

consist also 'in the devices, combinations and arrangement of partshereinafter described and claimed, which together vwith the advantagesto be obtained thereby will be readily Vunderstood by one skilled in theart from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a detail sectionalview takenthrough one section of a flat full-fashioned knitting machine ofordinary description, ,only so much of the machine being shown as isnecessary to illustrate the connection ofthe present inventiontherewith; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the sinker, press edgeand knockover bit construction shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is aplan'vie'w illustrating the relative positions of the knockover bits andneedles with relation to the fabric loops as the needles are movedinwardly toward the press edge at the knockover level. o

Referring specifically to the drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates a number ofthe .parts of a flat fullfashined knitting machine of the Cotton typeincluding the front rail I shown in section, which extends throughoutthemachine length, and has 'rigidly sec'ured thereto a sinker supportinghead porting `arms and levers (not shown) for hori- 4 fzontal'movementsV to draw down theloops. In-

asmuchas the construction and mode of operation of tlieparts thus fardescribed is old and well knownin the art, no further description orillus4 trationthereof is believed necessary. y

. There isV also provided 'with the `present construction; a. series; ofknockover bits 22' which are constructed inthe usual manner, and arerigidly Vmounted in a knockover bit bar 24 piv.- otally mounted to turnon a rod 26 which is pivotally mounted in bearings formed in down'-fwardly extending lugs 28 formed on the sinker head I2.V .This method ofsupporting the knockv over bits as thus far described', is well knownin- ."th'e art, and is ,believed to need -no further illus'- tration.

. In. machines usual practice to control the angular position ofthashaft 26 from the maincam shaft 'oflthe v`of the type described, itisl the I machine, tosecurethejrequired setting o f vthe tion ofknockingover the newly formed loops, v'At i height of-tpe knockover bitsdur-lngthe operai to drop the knockover bits to a lower level to provide roomfor the insertion of the usual welt bar at the start of the welt portiono f the fabric, the knockover bits, however, being returned to apredetermined stationary position for the operation of knocking over orfinishing the lo'ops. With the construction and mode of operationordinarily employed, an extremely accurate setting of the knockoversurfaces with relationl to the extreme low position of the needles isrequired to insure the proper setting of the loops, without at the sametime causing them to be overstrained or broken as the needles reachtheir extreme low knockover position. In order to insure the carrying ofthe newly formed loops to the backs of the needles and thus to clear theneedles for the beginning of a new knitting cycle, the needle motion isarranged so that the needles are moved inwardly to a position closelyadjacent the press edge I6 before being again raised to take new yarn.In order to cooperate with vthis needle 'movement, the knockover bits asvusually constructed, are provided with a rising curve near the pressedge of the machine, which operates as an additional drag on the loopsengaging lthe knockover surfaces, and serves to insure the positioningof the loops to the backs of the needles regardless of variations inthe. length of loop.

Inasmuch as the needle motion with the ordinary -construction as abovedescribed, followsa fixed path with relation to a fixed knockover bitsetting, the variations, in the lengthof loop must be taken care of asthe loops ride againstthe rising curve of the knockover bits, by aflexing of the needles during Vtheinward movement of the needles towardthe press edgev above described,

so that a very close setting of the parts is required, and only arelatively small variation ln loop length can be permitted withoutinterferln with the operation of the machine. z

The applicant is familiar with attempts pre ously made to improve theconstruction and oper- Leberknecht No. 1,923,985, dated August 22, 1933,

in whichthe knockover bits are resiliently mounted vfor a verticalvmovement with the needles. The construction 4set forth in theLieberknecht patent, however, contemplates the raising and lowering ofthe knockover' bits through connections controlled from. themain camshaft of the machine, and'does not provide any means beyond thatnormally provided formoving the loops to the backs of the needles;

In' accordance with a principal feature'ofthe present invention, thesupporting'mechani'sm for.

the knockover bits. has been constructed 'and arranged to permit amovement of the knockover surfaces at a steep angle downwardly andtowardneedles as the needles are lowered to their extreme knockoverposition-,- and are subsequently,

movedl inwardly toward the press .edge-prior to the-beginning ofthe nextlknitting eyclexg..A With" the construction illustrated, the `knockoverbits -are held in @normally highpositionclosely `adjacent 4the underedge. of the sinkers I 4 @by means .of altensionspring 32 Ywhich is.connected at onej end toa 1 downwardlyextending levervarm 34 sep-'Acured to the shaft 26, and at its other end to an i adjustable pin 36supported inv a lever 38 on a :continuously oscillating shaft 40. A stopscrew 42 screw-threaded into an ear 44 formed on the hub of the lever34, and arranged for engagement with the under side of the sinker bed l2to determine the position of -the knockover bits 22, serves to limit therotational movement of the lever 34, shaft 26 and knockover bits 22under the pressure of the spring 32,-and thus serves to accuratelydetermine the normal operating position of the knockover bits. In orderto provide an adjustment of the strength of the spring 32, the pin 36isA slidably mounted in the lever 38, being keyed against rotationtherein by means of a set screw 46, and has threaded on its 'oppositeend a manually operable nut 48. A V-shaped projection 50 formed on thebearing surface of the nut 48 is arranged for engagement with alcorresponding V-shaped-,notch in the corresponding bearing surface ofthe lever 38 to maintain the required adjustment of the parts. It is tobe understood that the oscillatory movements of the shaft 40 have .noeffect on the operation of the device during the'knockover operation ofthe machine, but. represents merely a convenient partcf the machine onv4which to mount the spring 32.

'I'he operation of the needles and knockover bits during the` knockoveroperation to finish the newly formed loops and to carry these loops tothe backs of the needles, may be described as follows:-

Starting with Athe parts inthe position shown in Fig. 1, the subsequentdownward movement of the needles to take the new yarn and to press offthe oldloops, follows the usual operation of this type of machine. 'Theloops are ythen carried by an outward movement of the needles off of theposition causes the newly formed loops to be tensioned against theknockover surfaces and acts to move thev knockover bits'22 and bar 24about the pivot. 26` against the tensioningfoijce'of the' spring 32, so.that the knockover surfaces and loops .held thereon are carrieddownwardlyand toward the backs .of the needles in an arcuate path aboutthe .pivot 26, while'at the same time the needles are moved rapidly in ahorizontal direction towards the press edge preparatory for thebeginning of a'n'ewknitting cycle.

, With the construction and mode of operation of the knockover mechanismabove set forth, it

will be seen that the movement of the knockover -bits toward the backsof vthe needles combined with the rapid `movement .of the needles in`their low position vtoward :the press', causes the kinked portion oftheyarn tolbefdragged; over .aconside'rably longer portion of the 'risingcurve of the' knockover, surfaces than isl possiblewith the usual`stationary .knockover bit construction of that aI sharpkinkingof-''th'e `yarn and the positioning ,of theprev-iusly formed`loops tothe backs .of"the' jneedles is vassured regardless ofvar'iationsin thelfeingth of th'evnefedle loops.v The e"kno ckover Ybitsand. ,needles above serve to maintain a substantially uniform tensioningstrain or drag on the kinked -yarn against the knockover surfaces duringthis lil entire operation.

It will also be noted that `the movement of the knockover bits abovedescribed is controlled entirely by the action of the fabric on theknockover surfaces at the time of knocking over, the extent of themovement being dependent entirely upon any variations which may exist inthe lengths of the knitted loops. from -course to course'. Theconstruction illustrated, therefore, is automatically self-adjusting forsubstantial variations in loop 1ength, and makes possible thev entireelimination of the .usual control mechanism for varying the setting ofthe knockover bits.

The manner in which the yarn kinked about the knockoversurfaces by thedownward movement of the needles is tensioned, and the previouslyknitted fabric loops drawn to the backs of the needles, is illustratedparticularly in the somewhat diagrammatic Fig. 3 of the drawing. As.indicated by the arrows, the needles at this time have reached theirextreme downward position, causing the knockover bits to be moveddownwardly and toward the backs of the needles to the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 2, so that the yarn is sharply kinked about theknockover surfaces against the tensioning strain of the spring 32. Theneedles are now moved rearwardly at an extremely rapid rate during thecontinued downward movement ofthe knockover bits 22 against thepressure' of the spring 32, s'o that the kinked portion of the needleyarn designated at ais drawn over a'relatively long portion of therising curve of the knockover bits to insure the proper kinking andpositioning of the It will be noted from an inspection of yarns. Fig. 3,that the loops of the previously knitted course have been spread bythekinking of the needle yarn, so. that the corners of theseloopsdesignated at b in Fig. `3, are drawn together in' the apex of thekinked portion of the needle yarn kinks a. Under these conditions thecorners of I the loops b are actuallyengaged by and forced to the backsof the needles by therelative movements of the needles and knockoverbits above set forth, thus insuring the proper operationjof the machine.

In order to facilitate the'insertion` of a welt rake between the needlesabove the knockover bits and below the sinkers in accordance with 'theusual practice, at the beginning of a stocking,

mechanism is herein disclosed under the control vided. with a recessy 64arranged for -engagement with an eccentric pin 66 supported on adownwardly extending arm.68 rigidly'secured to turn with the shaft 26andknockover bar 24. The

'L manually operable lever 60'is normally maintained in the raisedposition shown in Fig. 1, by

vthe engagementof arm .secured to the rock shaft 62, with the upper sideof the 'shaftML Itwill be understood, that4 a separate arm 63 and Ycooperating lever arm i's provided foreachsecf.-4

tion of the machine.' For convenience of'oper-v ation, one'. or moremanually operable"levers 6U the lever 60 is moved in a clockwisedirection by the operator to engage the eccentric pin 66 in the notch 64to position the knockover bits 22 in an abnormally low position'topermit the insertion of the welt rake. The machine is then put inoperation. The knockover bits 22 are .preferably left in their lowposition during the knitting of several subsequent courses until enoughfabric has been formed to enable the welt hooks to be held in positionwith the sinkers in line with the needles. As soon as the hooks haveassumed this position, the operator again manu- `all'yshifts the lever60 todisengage the arm'63 from the eccentric pin 66, permittingthe'knockover bits 22 to return to the normally high position shown inFig. 1. The loops of the initial course will be reasonably well knockedover without'the knockover .bits -in their normally high position,.sincethe welt hooks during the knitting of these courses are close enough-tothe needles to enable the fabric take-up tension vto properly clear theloops being formed, and also because. the first few loops of -the weltportion of the strain against the movement of the knockover surfacesdownwardlyand toward the backs of the needles with the kinked yarn heldby the needle hooks.

2. In a fiat full-fashioned knitting machine, the

combination with a press edge and a series of spring-bearded 'needlesmovable withrelation thereto to'press off and to draw down loops, of aseries of knockover elements, a -pivotal support therefor arrangedto-permita movement of the yarn engaging surfaces'thereof about saidpivot at a steep angle downwardly and toward the backs.

of the needles, and spring means tomaintain said knockover-elements in'anormally raised-position arranged to permit a downward movement of saidknockover elements with the .yarn kinked thereon at the time ofknockover to tension said kinked yarnrand cause the previously knittedcourse of loops tofbe positioned beyond the backs of the 3. In a atfullfashioned knittingmachine, the combination with yarn feeding andknitting devices including a press. edge, aseries of needles movableenmasseV horizontally. and vertically with relation thereto, and a seriesof sinkers, of l a series lof knockoverfelements, a piv otal supporttherefor arranged to permit movement of the yarn engaging knockoversurfaces about lsaid'pivot at a steep angle downwardly and 'toward `thebacks of theo-needles, said knockover surfaces having a curved portioncammedto'maintain' o'. substanjtial'ly uniform tensioning drag ontheyarn kinked over saidy surfiuse'sduring`r the 1jelative needle (andknockover element t movementsV at the time l-of knockove'r, andfspringmeans for vtensioningsaid 5 'surfaces closely.adjacntthesinkersarranged to f permit a, 4downwardmovement ofisai'd knocko'ver lmen'ten'sion'A at: 'the time fof knockover "tof `carry .said

tsvtli' .thel needles against said' spring arcuate path downwardly ,andto the backs of the needles.

4. In a. natrun-fasmoned knitting machine, the

vcombination with yarn feeding and knitting devices including a pressedge, a. series of needles movable en masse horizontally and verticallywith relation thereto; and a series of sinkers,`of a series of knockoverelements, a pivotal support therefor -arranged to permit movement of theyarn engaging knockover surfaces about said pivot at a steep 'angledownwardly and toward the backs of the needles, and spring means forpositioning said surfaces closely adjacent the sinkers arranged topermit a downward movement of said "knockover elements with the yarnkinked thereon against .said spring tension at the -time of knockover toproduce a compound movement of the knockover surfaces toward the backsof the needles and of the needles toward; the press at the time ofknockover, to tension the yarn kinked on the knockover surfaces'tothebacks of *theneedles.,

5. In a flat full-fashioned .knitting machinel the `combinationwith yarnfeeding and knitting devices including a', press edge, va series ofneedles knockover bits `closely 'adjacent 'thejisinkers Aar'- rangedltggpermit a `downwardymovement of',v ther knockoverl-elements underthinfluence of the movable en 'masse -horizontally and vertically withrelation thereto, and aseries of sinkers, of a. se'- 4ries ofAknockover. elements' having yarn engaging surfaces, a vpivotal supporttherefor located from the. knockover ,surfaces at j a substantial anglefrom the veticalline of. needle movement to perinit n iove'nier'it -ofthe yarn' :engaging vknockover backs ofthe needles,f and.means foradjusting the resistance of sa Sprinme'ans f 6. ln-aflatfullfashioned-knltting machine'tie combination witheyarnfeeding and.knitting de,- -vices includinga pressedge. a series f."needles movableerivmasse horizontally and vertically with relation .thereto,' an d' afseriesfof sinkers,` of.' a se- .ries of knockoverzelment having .yarnengaging surfaces .formedthereon a. pivotal support for said knockoverelements-located from the knockver surfaces ata'subst'antial angle withthevertical line of needle movement to permit vmovement' thereof.downwardly with' the needles, and spring means' for posi-tioningthe'yarn .engaging surfaces of the knockoverbitsf'elosel-y-adjacent'thejsinkers arrangedtopermita'downwardmovemerit' of the knockoveri'elernents'under the influence(ii-the at the tinieof knockover.

- V'L 'In'a flat fullefashioned thel combination 'with."yarn' feeding:and knitting devices including apress edge, aseri'es of'ne'edles,

movable en masse hdrizontauy andvenicanywith relation` thereto, and aseries' of si .nkers',' of lase .ries `of rk'r1o.l-:r yer elementssupported thereon, supporting means-for. said `knockover .elements topermit movement 'thereofd'ownwaily withy the 'needles .between e'ktemhigh and resilient low -kno'ckoverfpxpsiticzxns;'spring means actingnormally to positionv the; yarn engaging str jrfaces'.4 of' the yarnkinked thereon against said: sprlngjgtension at the time ofi-knockover,and manually operable.

imachine,

. knockover surfaces and yarn kinked thereon in an means for moving saidknockover surfaces toa predetermined low position against the pressureof said spring means. v

8. In a at full-fashioned knitting machine, the combination with yarnfeeding and knitting devices including a` seres of lvertically movableneedles and sinkers cooperating therewith, of a series of knockoverelements having knockover surfaces formed thereon, a support for saidknockover elements movable to raise and. lower said .knockover elementswith relation to the sinkers between extreme high and resilient lowknockover levels, a stationary stop surface engaging said support topositively limit the upward movement of the knockover elements in anormally stationary positionclosely adjacent the under side ofthesinkers, and spring means for-yieldingly maintaining said support andweb holders against said stop arranged to permit a continuously yieldingvdownward movement of said knockover 'elements under the influence oftheyarn kinked thereon during movement of the needles to and from theknockover level to tension` the newly knitted loops at. the knockover,and thereafter to return said knockover elements to their initialposition.

9. In a flat full-fashioned knitting machine, the

combination with yarn feeding and knitting devices including a seres ofvertically movable needles and sinkers cooperating therewith, of aseries of knockover elements having knockover surfacesformed thereon, apivotal lsupport for the knockover elements arranged to permit movementof the yarn engaging knockover surfaces about said pivot at a steepangle downwardly and toward the backs of the needles, a stationary stopsurface engaging said support to -positively limit the upward movementof the knockover elements in a'- normal stationary position closelyadjacent the under side of the sinkers, and spring means 4constructedand arranged t'o tension the'support and knockover elementsagainst said stop and so that the knockover elements are movedyieldingly downwar'dly with'the needles an'd newly kinked yarn at theknockover, and are thereafter returned to their normal high positionwhen reagainst the yarn'kinked thereon by the needles leasedby theupward'movement of the needles.

10.,In a ilatfull-fashioned knitting machine, the combination with yarnlfeeding and. knitting .'dev'ices including a series of verticallymovable l needles and sinkers cooperating therewith, of a series-ofknockover elements having knockover surfaces"` formed-thereon, a pivotalsupport for the knockover elements arranged to permit a movement of-the. yarn engaging knockover .surfaces about gsaid pivot ata steepangle downwardly and towardthe backs of the needles, a statio'naryfstopsurface and @cooperating 'stop surface on the knockovereleinents'agfainst SadstatiOnary stop 'and'againstthe yarn kinkedon theelements by the' needlesso that theknockover elements are movedAyield/ingly downwardly' withjthe. needles and* newly kinked-yarn .atthe knockover, andare thereafter returned to theinn'orma'l high positionthe combination with yarn feeding and knitting devices including aseries of vertically movable Vneedles and sinkers cooperating therewith;of a `series o-f knockover elements having knockover surfaces formedthereon,a support for saidv knockover elements movable to raise andlower said knockover elements lwith relation to the sinkers betweenextreme high and resilient low knockover positions,` a stationary stopsurface, a cooperatingpstop surface on the support to positively" limitthe upward movement of the knockover elements in a normal stationaryposition closely adjacent the underside of the sinkers, means forrelatively adjusting 'said stops to adjust said stationary position ofthe knockoverk elements, spring means constructed'and arranged to ten-`sion the support and knockover elements against said stationary stopand against the yarn kinked the upward movement of the needles, andmeans 10 for adjusting ,the tension of said spring means.

